5-star wide receiver picks Texas over TCU

While his twin brother and a half-dozen other 2016 Baylor football signees are trying to get the school to release them from their national letters of intent, elite wide receiver Devin Duvernay is headed to Texas.

The five-star-rated Duvernay made his decision official Tuesday, picking Charlie Strong’s suddenly surging Texas Longhorns over TCU. Duvernay, from Sachse, got lucky. Somehow, Baylor never submitted Duvernay’s paperwork to the Big 12 and so his letter of intent was deemed invalid, allowing him to sign with another school. He narrowed his choices to Texas, TCU and Oklahoma.

“I’m going to Texas,” Duvernay told ESPN.com. “I just feel like they are coming up, and feel good about Charlie Strong and his staff’s plan and they are going to turn this around. I feel like coach (offensive coordinator) Sterlin Gilbert is kind of the missing piece to help the offense. I feel like he can add me in, and some speed to the receiving corps.”

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The 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver was ranked No. 4 at his position in Texas and was the No. 36 overall prospect in the country, according to 247 Sports. Fired Baylor coach Art Briles had called Durvernay the nation’s fastest recruit in the 2016 class with 10.27 100-meter speed). Strong’s offense in his first two years has been nearly devoid of game-breaking speed.

Some 40 schools contacted Duvernay once it became known that his letter of intent was invalid and he was free to choose another school. He should immediately help Texas’ evolving offensive situation that includes Gilbert implementing an up-tempo offense with roots in Briles’ scheme, and the possibility of true freshman quarterback Shane Buechele opening the season as the starter.

HUGE pick-up for Charlie Strong & #Texas getting Devin Duvernay, the speedy WR who had been #Baylor's top recruit in its 2016 class.

Duvernay wanted out of his national letter of intent in the wake of the sexual assault scandal that led to Briles’ removal as head coach. The other 2016 signees, including Duvernay’s twin brother Donovan, still seeking a way out of their commitment have yet to enroll at Baylor, according to reports.

Devin Duvernay might not be the only Bears signee to land in Austin. The Longhorns have open scholarships to fit other players that ultimately might gain their release from Baylor.

Sachse twins Devin and Donovan Duvernay inked their official letters of intent, signing with the Baylor Bears on Wednesday.